The Road

Xu Yuan was somewhat relieved that Xu Xinyao had learned this information within the Prime Minister's Mansion, and that she had asked him this question.

The question now is, how can he correct his Fourth Sister?

The Fourth Sister is right; the Prime Minister's Mansion was indeed the instigator of everything.

The situation in the Northern Border was set up by the Emperor and that father together; the sects' involvement was merely a passive counterattack.

The imperial court has already taken action; we can't expect the sects to just sit and wait to be killed, can we?

The battlefield, however, is a hell on earth where no morality exists.

Thinking of this, Xu Yuan sighed softly.

He felt like he'd been tricked by that old man.

The copy was for Xu Xinyao to see. Whether as a father or as Prime Minister strategized for the world, he should have known that Xu Xinyao's current mental state was very unstable.

He's not addressing this issue himself; he's clearly leaving this mess for his third son to solve.

Looking at the girl with her eyelids drooping, Xu Yuan let out a soft breath and said slowly:

"Xin Yao, look up at me."

Having received the information, Xu Xinyao had completely identified their Prime Minister's Mansion as the culprit responsible for everything in the Northern Border, something that her personality, shaped since childhood, could not accept.

In such moments, eye contact is crucial, even more so than words.

In silence,

Xu Xinyao obediently raised her eyes, her beautiful eyes glistening with a faint, almost imperceptible, moisture.

As they locked eyes, Xu Yuan asked his first question:

"Do you think our Prime Minister's Mansion is the culprit of this war?"

"Isn't that right?" Xu Xinyao bit her lip.

"Oh"

Xu Yuan gave a helpless smile, his voice low:

"When interests cannot be obtained through negotiation, the use of force will be brought to the forefront."

"Xin Yao,

"What benefits do you think our Prime Minister's Mansion hopes to gain from this war?"

Without any hesitation, Xu Xinyao clenched her fists tightly again, her hands gripping her thighs.

"Those businesses of the Northern Border Sects,"

"If I'm not mistaken, under Father's orders, the Black Scale Army's priority in protecting those production facilities must have been far greater than protecting the hundreds of millions of ordinary people suffering from the war, right?"

"You're right, that's absolutely true."

Xu Yuan did not deny it, because his Fourth Sister's guess was true.

Compared to the sect's relentless destruction, the orders issued from the study in the Prime Minister's Mansion's residence, while including orders to aid the disaster victims, were carried out under the premise of protecting the sect's assets.

Human life, or the life of an ordinary person, is far less valuable than the production facilities that the Northern Border Sects have accumulated over thousands of years.

The Great Yan has no shortage of people. Even if all the people in the Northern Border died, the imperial court could use the extensive network of official roads to relocate people from other places. If those facilities were destroyed, it would take hundreds of years to rebuild them.

Xu Yuan even harbored a dark suspicion.

He didn't want to think that way, but the advisors in the Prime Minister's Prime Minister's Mansion and the royal family must have devised similar treacherous schemes.

The Barbarian Tribe of the Utterdark Lands are now nearly extinct, and the Three Northern Prefectures have become a "safe" region free from external threats.

After all the wars in the Northern Border are over, a large number of people will be relocated from other prefectures occupied by sects in the name of the imperial court to fill the vacancies in the Northern Border. This will be able to weaken the war potential of the sects to some extent in the war that follows.

However, Xu Yuan could not tell these things to his Fourth Sister.

If she finds out, she might just turn evil on the spot.

Thinking to himself, Xu Yuan continued:

"So, what is the purpose of our Prime Minister's Mansion wanting those properties?"

"."

Xu Xinyao did not answer this question.

But seeing the girl's trembling body becoming increasingly violent, Xu Yuan knew that she already had her answer in her heart.

He said slowly and quietly:

"You're right. In preparation for the upcoming war, the Three Northern Prefectures need to be developed into a major rear area."

Xu Xinyao's breath hitched.

She had some suspicions, but couldn't accept them.

She didn't understand why her father insisted on starting a war and causing immense suffering to millions of lives.

Her voice trembled with a hint of a sob Xu Xinyao gazed into Xu Yuan's calm eyes and cautiously asked:

"Brother, could you... could you try to persuade Father?"

"I can't do it, and I don't want to."

Xu Yuan's voice was very soft, but it resounded like thunder in the quiet room, echoing in Xu Xinyao's ears.

Xu Yuan looked at the girl in front of him, watching her bright and beautiful eyes gradually become empty and lifeless.

Xu Yuan vaguely remembered that expression.

In the game "Cangyuan", this is what the Fourth Sister looks like when she turns evil.

But he didn't finish speaking; Xu Yuan continued calmly, asking:

"Xin Yao, why do you think Father started this war?"

Xu Xinyao's expression shifted, she gritted her teeth, and spoke softly, but it sounded hoarse and strained:

"Can't we use peaceful means?"

"Bang!"

Xu Yuan suddenly slammed his hand on the mahogany table in front of Xu Xinyao.

A palm print appeared directly on the heavy mahogany.

He looked at her and asked:

"I should have already told you about this back in Shengshan County. Didn't you realize this from that experience?"

The girl seemed startled, shrinking back slightly, but her eyes remained defiant.

After exchanging glances for a few moments, Xu Yuan suddenly sighed, raised his hand to rub his temples, and then chuckled softly.

Xu Yuan lowered his hand, a smile playing on his lips, and asked:

"Neither the sect nor the imperial court will back down. You should have already witnessed the demonic calamities and human disasters that plague this world during your travels. Since you believe Father is wrong, then how do you think this matter should be resolved?"

Despite the sharp questions, Xu Xinyao remained unmoved, gazing at Xu Yuan with tender eyes and a resolute voice:

"That's why... that's why I wanted to create the Soul Nourishing Ring!"

"." Xu Yuan.

Xu Yuan was taken aback by these words.

For a moment, he couldn't figure out the connection between the Soul Nourishing Ring and the world's demonic and human calamities.

But then, the thought patterns from his previous life provided the answer.

energy.

The Soul Nourishing Ring represents a brand-new energy source, a creation capable of even altering the very structure of the Great Yan Dynasty.

The martial arts schools that spread their teachings throughout the world have already boosted the national strength of the Great Yan. If the technology of the Soul Nourishing Ring matures, the national strength of the Great Yan in all aspects will once again soar, and the calamities of demons and humans can be resolved.

Thinking of this, Xu Yuan's gaze towards Xu Xinyao changed slightly.

This Fourth Sister seems to have truly found a path different from that of her Prime Minister father.

Seeing Xu Yuan remain silent, Xu Xinyao lowered her eyes and slowly said:

"When Brother first traveled the world, Xin Yao's intention was indeed to befriend the descendants of those sects and try to unite their power to change the Great Yan."

At this point, a self-deprecating smile appeared on the girl's beautiful, flawless, fair face:

"At first I thought I was right, because those friends were really good people."

"Upright, kind, and hating evil, I don't believe they would eventually become bad people who prioritize profit above all else."

"But after Shengshan County, I thought carefully about what you told me back then, and I did some tests on those friends."

Then Xin Yao realized that what you said was indeed true, Brother Shi.

Even if they don't want to become like that, their elders and their positions will force them to do so.

"Xin Yao is too naive."

People can't withstand tests, and they really can change.

"Therefore, the path I initially insisted on was a dead end. Everything in this world is driven by self-interest, and the vast majority of people in this world only act for self-interest."

"."

Xu Yuan listened attentively without responding.

He felt somewhat relieved. It turned out that his Fourth Sister's departure without saying goodbye that time was not out of stubbornness, but rather to verify whether the path she had been adhering to was correct.

"Elder brother,

"When I received the test results, I was really confused. I didn't know what to do, let alone how to help those desperate people."

As she spoke, Xu Xinyao raised her eyes and looked out the window at the full moon hanging high in the sky after the dark clouds had dispersed:

"The array formations that Xin Yao has learned can save many people, millions, or even tens of millions. But these people are still too few for the entire Great Yan Dynasty!"

"Even if I dedicate my entire life to setting up an array in every corner of the Great Yan, not to mention, apart from those with ulterior motives like the Wanxiang Sect, very few people would be willing to contribute funds and effort to help me complete this task."

"So I bid farewell to my friends, ended my travels, and returned to Di'an, and also to the Institute of Investigation."

"Since self-interest is the only constant in this world, I want to use my own methods to develop something to solve all of this."

"."

After speaking, there was silence.

Xu Yuan's calm gaze turned somewhat complicated.

Prejudice is truly a formidable mountain.

In his mind, the Fourth Sister in front of him had always been the saintly figure in "Cangyuan" who might betray the Prime Minister's Prime Minister's Mansion for the sake of the common people. But now he suddenly realized that this preconceived notion was wrong, and very wrong.

She has always been reflecting on herself and has always been seeking a path different from her father's.

He felt a pang of shame and clenched his fists slightly.

Xu Xinyao has always lived up to her words and has always pursued everything she wanted to achieve, while he has only ever gone with the flow.

In this matter, the Fourth Miss of the Prime Minister's Mansion Prime Minister's Mansion far superior to the Third Young Master.

Xu Yuan opened his mouth, but he didn't know what to say.

Because saying it out loud would hurt the Fourth Sister's feelings.

Under Xu Yuan's complex gaze, the girl looked down at her slender, delicate hands, her tone resolute:

"Brother, Xin Yao think this is probably the true use of all the knowledge I've learned over the years."

Even if this thing is used by the military, even if it kills countless people on the battlefield, there's nothing that can be done about it.

"After all, even if I don't let you use it, Master will secretly make it."

"Isn't that so?"

At this point, Xu Xinyao looked at her silent Third Brother again, suddenly smiled, her crescent-shaped eyes glistening with tears, her voice trembling as she suppressed a sob:

"Elder brother,

"On this matter... only this matter, are you willing to help Xin Yao?"